India to observe one day state mourning for late Queen Elizabeth II today

New Delhi: India will observe one-day state mourning today that is Sunday as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday at the age of 96.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast on Sunday throughout the country and there will be no official entertainment programme on that day, a statement issued by the government said on Friday.

Meanwhile, Britain is observing 10-day state mourning for Queen Elizabeth II. Britain’s royal family will observe a period of mourning that will end on the seventh day after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The date of the funeral is yet to be decided.

King Charles III was officially announced as Britain’s monarch on Saturday, in a pomp-filled ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism.

The British High Commission in Delhi opened a condolence book at High Commissioner Alex Ellis’s residence for those wishing to convey their respects. The book will be available on Saturday and Monday.

Earlier this year, the Government of India had similarly declared a day of mourning for assassinated Japanese former PM Shinzo Abe and UAE President and Abu Dhabi Ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.